It's no secret that Peyton Manning owns the television game, and anyone who's in a spot with him is assured that it will be gold. Well in his latest Sony commercial, Peyton has so company with him. Not only is he playing ping-pong with Justin Timberlake, but Erin Andrews even makes an appearance!

Good use of the Mandarin language there boys, and I have to agree with Justin, having an HDTV makes you better at Sports.

In the age of viral marketing, and sports based reality shows, players try to do everything they can to get their name out there. The latest, and very interesting venture, comes from Steven Jackson. Jackson has decided to make a video about himself, that is exclusive to his own website. Via 12 Step Drop....

As far as self-made productions go, that actually looks pretty good. It's good to see Jackson busting his but this offseason, because the Rams are going to need every bit of him this fall.

Steven Jackson: The Movie (12 Step Drop)

Outside of some random discussions on CNBC, CNN and MSNBC, Sports Business rarely comes up in today's news. Well Versus is planning on changing that with a new show called "The $ports Take", which will debut at the end of August. Via Sports Business Daily ($)....

Versus is launching a weekly sports business show called "The $ports Take," hosted by sports consultant Rick Horrow. Career Sports & Entertainment (CS&E), Atlanta, is producing the show, which debuts August 25 at 6:30pm ET. The show will run on Tuesday nights. The first episode features an interview with Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones and a tour of his new stadium. Future shows will include interviews with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, NBA Commissioner David Stern, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, NASCAR Chair & CEO Brian France and PGA of America CEO Joe Steranka. CS&E President of Media & Marketing Mark Lazarus said, "We're excited to bring sports junkies a new perspective on the sports they already love."

I'm sure a lot of people won't find this line of programming interesting, but for there is a small sect of diehard Sports' fans, that love anything involving the business of Sports. Hearing about television deals, free agency and collective bargaining agreements, has always been something I've been drawn to, so I'm definitely going to give the show a chance.

Madden 2010 comes out this Friday, and while gamers around the world will be lining up at 11pm Thursday night to get a hold of the game, you can plan on seeing a good bit of the game during the Steelers-Cardinals game on ESPN earlier that evening. EA has linked up with ESPN to show random clips from the game. Via the Associated Press....

EA Sports usually launches "Madden" with a party — last year's "Maddenpalooza" was held at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. But this year, says marketing director Nathan Stewart, EA wants to "reach all our fans in all corners of the country." The main promotional effort involves a tie-in with ESPN's "Monday Night Football," which returns to television Thursday night.

The first "MNF" game is a preseason rematch between last season's Super Bowl contenders, the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Arizona Cardinals. Not coincidentally, the cover of "Madden NFL 10" features a player from each team: Troy Polamalu of the Steelers and Larry Fitzgerald of the Cardinals.

"Madden" will be featured throughout the "MNF" broadcast as well as other ESPN programs Thursday, including "SportsCenter" and "NFL Countdown." The video game will also be promoted across ESPN's Web site and mobile applications.

Per usual, when it comes to things like this, as long as the clips don't overrun the broadcast, everything should be fine. The game does come out the next day, so the deal makes sense. If this was a regular season game, I'd be a little more concerned, but it's a preseason contest....so why not?

FYI- There will be another live-blog, both here and at 12 Step Drop, on Thursday night. We'll be covering the debut of Jon Gruden, as well as whatever fantasy questions there are that evening. Hope to see you there.

EA Sports teams with ESPN to promote `Madden' (AP)

I know it's taboo to call Brett Favre annoying these days, and it's probably best to try and ignore him, but the guy makes it virtually impossible. You all know about the Wrangler ads, where the "childlike" Favre plays touch Football in the mud with a bunch of white dudes, right? Well Favre is filming a new commercial for Sears, and get this....he plays a guy who can't make up is mind about a television. Brilliant!

The TV spot, scheduled to air in early September, launches the Sears Blue Electronics Crew campaign, which includes print, events marketing, social media and public relations. The TV commercial features Favre agonizing over selecting a new LED television. The scene unfolds through a discussion between Favre and a member of the Sears Blue Electronics Crew (actor Brad Morris from "The Second City" comedy club in Chicago). The two banter as Favre is undecided on his decision about a Samsung LED TV. In one scene, Morris describes Sears "real time price checks - no regrets"(SM) - as a way to help guys who have a tough time making decisions. "You know the type, right?" Morris says. "Yeah, I hate those guys," Favre quips.

"This commercial uses humor to communicate messages about what differentiates Sears and the Sears Blue Electronics Crew from the competition," said Karen Austin, president of home electronics for Sears. "From our real time price checks to selection of top brands to our expert sales consultants, financing options and installation, there are very compelling reasons to choose Sears for your next TV or electronics purchase. And Brett is a terrific sport in having fun with the topic of choosing a TV. Brett embodies the excitement and passion that our customers feel as they anticipate the start of football season and that comes through in the commercial."

I guess Sears doesn't realize that just about all of America is sick of Brett Favre. I mean, I would have personally gone with something along the lines of the salesman punching him in the face after he went back and forth for the twentieth time, but whatever you think works.

ESPN finally seems to be taking a queue from NBA TV and has decided to go old school for its NBA Finals campaign. The new set of ads will be an extension of the "Where Will Amazing Happen This Year" theme, but will feature an homage of sorts to the greats. While the video promos will stay the same, the main piece of marketing will be a photo timeline of seven NBA players in the midst of a dunk. The piece titled "Evolution" will be seen in print and on billboards in various cities. Here is your first look (click for larger)....


Just an amazing photo right there. I've always been a fan of the sequence photos like that, but switching it to multiple players like that almost makes it "poster worthy". If I still lived in a dorm, that thing would be up post haste.

"Mini-mercials" are the latest craze to hit television, and ESPN will begin airing them this May. You probably have noticed the little spots during PTI breaks to keep you glued to the ads, but these will be different. Instead of the hosts jumping back on randomly, digital billboards will appear for certain companies before segments. Via the New York Times....

Beginning May 15, Coors will begin a two-month campaign of the new 10-second billboards, called mini-mercials, that will run during evening “SportsCenter” segments on ESPN. Miller Lite will begin its campaign in mid-July.

MillerCoors will be the most extensive user of mini-mercials, but will not be the first. Asics, the manufacturer of sports shoes and sports apparel, began a short flight on last Friday evening’s “SportsCenter” that will run through the end of this month.

TV ad buying for both MillerCoors and Asics is handled by the media agency Initiative, part of the Interpublic Group of Companies. MC Media is a dedicated agency for MillerCoors that was created last fall and is a partnership between creative agency Draft FCB and Initiative.

The goal of the mini-mercial on ESPN is to bring more action to the traditional TV billboard that leads into “SportsCenter” segments. Typically, billboards leading into a program simply show the logo of the sponsor of that segment.

I think I saw the one they were referring to that aired yesterday, and needless to say, it's pretty awkward. All of a sudden an anchor appears after an ad, and they're right into the next highlight. I really didn't think there was a way to fit in more advertising and distractions to Sports Center, but I guess I was wrong.

MillerCoors and Asics Bring Action to Ads on ESPN (New York Times)

I've seen some crazy attempts at getting advertising into broadcasts, but this one might actually take the cake. Broad Street Hockey noticed a funny thing on the boards behind the goal, during the Rangers game last night on MSG, and it couldn't be more humorous and distracting. Here is a screenshot....



Now I'm not one to deny a company from making money, but when it comes at the expense of the viewers, that's when I take issue. It's one thing to have something like that behind a batter during a Baseball game, but it just doesn't look right sitting behind a goal. Hopefully the decide against using it in the future, but I seriously doubt that if it's bringing in money.

Eat Fresh? (Broad Street Hockey)

While newspapers like the Detroit Free Press are just now figuring out the worthiness of the Internet, ESPN has been championing the Sports media charge to the tubes. Over the past few years, the "Leader" has actually been the "Leader" in finding new ways to get games and news to the masses. They've redone their online content, including revamping the already genius ESPN360, and have made videos on the website easily accessible.

Well today comes even more news (and rumors) that Disney is expanding it's visibility on the Internet. They have apparently been looking into NBC's Hulu as a host for its content, but it looks like plain old Youtube could be the place to find full ABC/ESPN episodes in the future. Here's info on both moves....

Via the WaPo: "Disney (NYSE: DIS) and YouTube are in the final stages of negotiations to put clips from ESPN, ABC and other Disney assets on YouTube, according to sources familiar with the situation. The two companies would share revenue, with Disney controlling the ad inventory; YouTube and Google could get some inventory to sell. As important, YouTube would refer back to ESPN.com, ABC.com and the other Disney sites. Disney declined comment; a YouTube spokesman said the company does not comment on rumor or speculation.

In addition, the two are discussing a full-episode deal?a multi-year pay-for-play deal that would put ABC and some other Disney programming on YouTube instead of NBC Universal-News Corp joint venture Hulu. I am told these discussions have gone as high as Disney CEO Bob Iger and Google Chairman and CEO Eric Schmidt but that they are not as far along as the short-form deal?or as advanced as Disney's negotiations with Hulu."

Via DVice: "Do you Hulu? Apparently, ABC and ESPN want to Hulu. According to inside sources, Disney is in serious negotiations with Hulu to carry ABC, and less likely, ESPN and some Disney Channel content. It should be noted that Hulu is partially owned by NBC/Universal, DVICE's parent company, and Mickey owns ABC and ESPN.

The speculation implies that Disney wants a longer commitment from NBC to Hulu. Disney/ABC probably doesn't want to get onboard without knowing that NBC isn't about to jump ship. ABC will also want to maintain the player on its own website."

It actually amazes me that ESPN doesn't have a channel on Youtube already. The thinking for the longest time was that if people are looking for content on Youtube, they aren't looking for it on our site. We now know that is false, in fact, it's completely the opposite. Videos on other sites actually drive content back to your website.

AA is a fine example, certainly on a smaller scale, of that line of thinking. It's always better to show someone, rather than tell them about it.

ABC, ESPN coming to Hulu? (DVice)
Disney Finalizing Deal For Clips On YouTube; Full-Episode Talks Ongoing; Could Hulu Lose Out? (Washington Post)

One of the only redeeming things about February, once Football ends, is Daytona week/weekend. Well the NFL owners have been discussing a lot of things as of late, but the most intriguing ones is the potential to add two NFL games. That move would subsequently cause the Super Bowl to be pushed back....straight to the same spot as the Daytona 500.

The Daytona 500 starts earlier in the day than the Super Bowl, but the big hit would come in the form of advertising dollars. The number of companies using both venues would certainly decrease, especially if you consider the start of the Super Bowl would come right at the end of the race, and this has NASCAR officials reeling. Via Scene Daily....

NASCAR and Fox Sports officials are in a wait-and-see mode before commenting on what NASCAR would do, but it seems likely that the date for the Daytona 500 would have to change.

“I don’t think I can make a definitive answer to [changing the date], but I would have a hard time today seeing how that would work for everybody – working for the media partners, working for the sponsors that we share and quite frankly, working for the fan and the consumer base,” said Roger VanDerSnick, senior vice president for marketing and business operations for DIS parent company International Speedway Corp.

“I understand the NASCAR base pretty well, and there’s a fair amount of overlap. So why make that an issue when I think we’ve got several options so that it wouldn’t be?”

As mentioned above, it would only makes sense to move the Daytona 500 back, but that would certainly throw a wrench in the plans of few hundred thousand who attend the race and the millions who enjoy both events. It'll be interesting to see what NASCAR decides....and how quickly.

Daytona 500 date change likely if NFL moves Super Bowl to traditional 500 weekend (Scene Daily)

There's not a television deal that bugs me more than the NFL Ticket. However, when it's been exclusively with one provider for 15 years, AND said provider pays $1 Billion to keep it, there's not much you can say. The NFL and DirecTV have once again thumbed their noses at the likes of Comcast and Time Warner, and the "Ticket" will be staying on the satellite platform through 2014. Via MCN....

The National Football League has reached a four-year contract extension with DirecTV to remain the TV home of the Sunday Ticket package through 2014.

Sunday TicketAnnounced Monday during the NFL owners meeting in Dana Point, Calif., the pay-per-view pact, according to sources familiar with the negotiations, is valued at about $1 billion annually from 2011-2014. DirecTV currently pays some $700 million annually on its Sunday Ticket contract that expires after the 2010 season.

However, the agreement opens the door to a wider reach for the out-of-home package, which will become available to broadband subscribers that can't receive DirecTV. The satellite leader will aim this broadband game service at those who reside in multi-unit dwellings or DirecTV customers with poor exposure to a satellite signal.

This broader broadband service, according to league officials, would kick off no later than 2012. Currently, broadband coverage of the games is limited to those who purchase Sunday Ticket, and then pay an additional $99 for the broadband Super Fan package.

While the Internet option sounds cool, don't get excited. You would have to be officially ruled out of receiving satellite television first, before getting that service. However, in the 2012 season, the NFL will be allowing some cable carriers to sell the "Red Zone" Channel. The live cut-in section of the "Ticket" would be available to almost all cable providers, as well as on the Internet.

With the money that's out there for the NFL, it still seems odd that they are giving an exclusive to DirecTV. But again....when there's a guaranteed billion dollars on the table, I'm sure that's hard to pass up.

NFL Scores With $4 Billion DirecTV Sunday Ticket Extension (Multichannel News)

Darren Rovell at Sports Biz, came across this humorous yet rather odd advertisement from M&Ms candy, which features two candies decorated as Larry Bird and Magic Johnson. The ad is supposed to be a commemoration of sorts for the 30th anniversary of their famous tournament clash, but there's one problem....they used their NBA colors....



In all fairness, no one would probably recognize Magic in MSU green or Bird in Indiana State light blue, but still....that should have been their direction. Plus the Magic M&M doesn't even really look like him. Good try though.

Inaccurate Ad Of The Week (CNBC: Sports Biz)

(P.S.- Be sure to check out Darren's interview "On The DL" when you get a chance.)

It's a gray Monday here on the East Coast, and given the current times, it makes days like this even more depressing. That's why this story is perfect for this afternoon. Mark Gullett, the Tampa Bay Lightning's marketing director, was recently downsized. Lucky for him though, his son Ben, saw it coming and decided to make a Youtube video touting his dad's credentials for potential employers.

Not only is the video one of the more heartwarming things you'll ever see, but it's actually working! From Florida Today via Deadspin....

On Thursday, Mark Gullett lost his job and the video was posted on YouTube.com. Within 24 hours, they’ve already gotten a couple hundred e-mails and a couple of job leads, the father said. By Friday evening, the video had been viewed more than 800 times.

Ben Gullett, 14, said he made the video “just to show him that I love him and stuff.”

“I thought it was very touching,” Mark Gullett said.

Father and son worked on the script together, and Mark helped with the editing after Ben wrote down what he wanted to include.

“We both had some ideas that we wanted to include in it,” Ben Gullett said. “But I came up with the idea that my dad is a good marketing guy and that I love him and I’m going to be here for him.”

Man, that's love right there and just a great story. Here's the clip, and I warn you that you should have a box of kleenex nearby....


Teen helps dad find job on YouTube (Florida Today)
Florida Kid Uses Youtube For Good Not Evil (Deadspin)

Even though Terrell Owens has moved to a much smaller market in Buffalo, VH1 still plans to debut the controversial wide receiver's reality show this Summer. Via the Democrat and Chronicle....

VH1 acknowledged Tuesday that the company is in production with T.O. for a reality show that profiles his life off the field. Brett Henne, VH1's senior vice president of communications and Public Affairs, said he also learned of Owens' move to Buffalo through the media, but that "we're sure the show will tape sometime in Buffalo."

Currently referred to as "The Terrell Owens Project," the show is slated for an August primetime premiere on the cable channel.

VH1 President Tom Calderone, a Buffalo State graduate, said the show was green-lit for production two to three months ago and was just beginning to film in Dallas. Now, he said production crews are regrouping to determine how Buffalo and this latest storyline will fit into the show.

While the original project may be slightly changed, a January press release from VH1 said the show will shadow T.O. and two of his best friends who also serve as his female publicists.

I actually take back the word "controversial", I used when describing Owens above. See the thing about controversial people and reality shows, is that people are actually interested in their daily lives. I can't for the life of me, think of a reason to watch a T.O.-based reality show. So I would like to change "controversial" to "annoying" please. Thank you.

Update: In case you were wondering where T.O. is this week....he's sporting a bright yellow sweatshirt at the ACC Tournament!


Bills' Terrell Owens to star in reality show on VH1 (Democrat and Chronicle)

I don't quite understand the whole tagline, but the fact that Adidas got KG, Dwight Howard, T-Mac and Josh Smith, to randomly visit Colleges and put on their jerseys, is pretty cool. Here are the Garnett and Howard spots via First Cuts....

So now that I think about it, I guess each four picked who they think is going to win it all, and these are the commercials they came up with. I guess it's an okay idea, but I'm more interested in the jerseys. I'm pretty sure that KG-UCLA junks would go for a pretty penny on Ebay.

Athletes and performers occasionally step in into the "Spirits Game". After the Super Bowl, Hines Ward got a Steelers' version of Crown Royal for all of his teammates, but it definitely wasn't created just for him. Another Steeler however, had a bottle presented to him with his likeness on it, and that person is Jerome Bettis.

At his 37th birthday party, Bettis receive a a personalized bottle of Jose Cuervo Platino Tequila, and PSAMP has the photo....



Just gorgeous, and I'm of course jealous. I wouldn't even need my likeness on a premium bottle like that. Hell, I'd take my face on the side of a can of "Beast" or "Natty Boh"! Now that would be awesome.

Jerome Bettis Has His Own Cuervo Tequila (PSAMP)

So obviously the big news over the weekend was the fact that Terrell Owens quickly signed on with the Buffalo Bills, to the tune of $6.5 million. While the ink was still drying on that deal, the Bills decided that they can't be wasting time in recouping some of that guaranteed (so stupid) money, so they got word out that T.O. jerseys were for sale on their website. With #81 already taken (James Hardy), the team decided to give Owens the only number that would work for him. #1....


How fitting huh? Owens can always switch, or buy eighty one from Hardy, so this #1 jersey might be worth something in the future. Well at least worth a bit of comedy when you wear it out in public next year.

Vitamin Water's ads have been hit and miss. I enjoyed the Lebron courtroom one, but couldn't stand the Super Bowl dancing spot. Well their latest effort is back in the good category. They got former Kentucky Coach Rick Pitino and former Duke player Christian Laettner to recreate the famous 1992 East Regional game between the two teams. Via RTC....

Hahaha....Pitino said asshole! Well it's bleeped out, but still funny. Good stuff.

Pitino and Laettner Together Again (RTC)

If you took any business classes in College, you've certainly heard the mantra that the woman is the decision maker in the household. But the world of advertising is ever-evolving, and ESPN is now saying that the adage might no longer be true. Ed Erhardt, President of ESPN/ABC Sports Customer Sales and Marketing, conducted an interview with Media Post, and says there's been a shift towards targeting men....

For years, advertisers that targeted women believed they played a "head of household" role and made the majority of purchasing decisions for the family. But ESPN's Ed Erhardt says that cause-and-effect relationship is changing.

Men are becoming more involved in making household spending choices--perhaps because of the economy--and that could increasingly open doors for ESPN with its male audience.

"Most of the research now shows it is a dual decision," says Erhardt, president of ESPN/ABC Sports customer sales and marketing. "A guy is very much involved in that, so I think there's a change in the male consumer--there's a change in the economy and we like our position based upon that going forward."

In ESPN's case, Erhardt says large packaged goods companies (Kraft and Johnson & Johnson, for example) along with travel advertisers and other traditional female-oriented marketers are shifting dollars in an attempt to reach men.

Very interesting. You could certainly see this coming with all of the "Men's" products that have come out in the past few years. I personally always thought that the woman as the "decider" line of thinking was a little off base, because years ago women were mainly homemakers. As the business environment changes, and roles in the household become equal between men and women, so do the target audiences of ads.

ESPN's Erhardt: Men Changing, Advertisers Reacting (Media Post)

Ugh. First Cuts, gives us more background on the new the H-O-R-S-E competition TNT is putting on during All-Star Saturday, and it's not good news. Instead of going with the standard name of the game, or even putting a sponsor in front of it, TNT is completely changing the name of the contest from H-O-R-S-E to G-E-I-C-O. From USA Today via FC....

So it shouldn't surprise — especially as all sports are scrambling to find new places to hang "for sale" signs given the current economy — that the NBA's first H-O-R-S-E contest won't use those letters.

As that contest joins dunking and three-point shooting contests as part of TNT's NBA All-Star Weekend coverage, the as-yet unnamed three contestants — who'll be overseen by an NBA ref — will play G-E-I-C-O. As in the insurance company that will be the event's unavoidable sponsor. (Suggestion: The winner then takes on the famous ad lizard to really drive home the brand awareness.)

I understand the need to get a sponsor for every competition, but that's just a bit annoying. Couldn't they have done what they do to every other event and just call it the Geico H-O-R-S-E contest? Either way though, that setup pictured above is pretty badass. If someone doesn't take a shot from that raised platform where EJ, Kenny and C-Webb are, they should be banned from ever competing again.

NBA Players To Play 'G-E-I-C-O' Not 'H-O-R-S-E' (First Cuts)
Missed shot gets you letter, ad bucks (USA Today)